Letter from Betty for May 2016

Hello,

May flowers are in bloom outside my window, and it's a great time of year to be in the great outdoors. Luckily, nothing could be better for your young children. Read our feature article for May, "How to Super-Charge Your Child's Brain with a Hop, a Skip, and a Jump" and you'll see exactly what I mean. Enjoy!

And have some fun with our "Did You Know?" bonus feature. This month is "All About the Month of May." Find out about May in history, a list of dates that includes presidents, tall buildings, early settlements, river-spanning bridges, and your Mom! Also, learn a neat trick for a hand-made Mother's Day gift.

Summer is the time to relax, unwind and have fun, but continuing academic studies is important to be certain material learned during the school year is not forgotten. It is also a good time for previewing material that will be covered in the first few weeks or months of the upcoming school year. Furthermore, high school seniors can get a jump start on their college applications. Make sure to reach out to your child's tutor to schedule summer sessions to keep learning in motion!

Finally, please remember that whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, SAT/ACT test prep, and educational evaluations. Please don't hesitate to give us a call at 973-425-1774 for a free consultation.


Best regards,

Betty

Betty Bodenweiser
Director
Foundation for Learning

May 2016 Dates Announced: Choose SAT or ACT with our Free Diagnostic

Currently many high school juniors take both the SAT and ACT to determine which test is better for them. We usually feel it is beneficial for the students to focus on only one test. In order to accomplish this, we administer a complimentary SAT/ACT diagnostic test to help students determine which test is better suited to their abilities.

Upcoming test date:

May 21, 2016

Our diagnostic test incorporates the new SAT which was introduced in March 2016.

Please call Donna at (973) 425-1774 for more details. You can also email Betty at Betty@foundationforlearning.com. SPACE IS LIMITED.

June 2016 Test Schedule

Mark your calendars! Here are the latest test dates.

How to Super-Charge Your Child's Brain with a Hop, a Skip, and a Jump

Do you want to help your children boost their brain-power? Get them moving!



By encouraging your children to run, jump, hop, hike, and chase a ball, you are greatly improving their ability to think, to focus, and to successfully multi-task. As parents, you’ve heard that exercise is important for good physical health and now a study published by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign confirms that physical activity greatly helps to improve thinking skills and academic performance in our children.

This is hardly new though. It’s already been proven that children’s test scores in reading and math rise if there is some physical activity beforehand. Other studies have determined that aerobic activity, which children come by naturally if left to their own devices, actually affects brain structure, increasing the size of the part of the brain devoted to learning and thinking. The ability to maintain concentration, to order mental and situational stimuli, and to control inappropriate responses is greatly enhanced. Conversely, children whose executive functions are inhibited tend to have academic problems in school.

So not only does wild, childish play improve mental function, it also improves aerobic endurance, basic motor skills, and overall well-being. Parents also have known all along that playtime, whether it’s in the form of organized team play, free recess at school or after-school romping, helps children let off steam, making for happier children, teachers, and parents too. Let me emphasize free play here. To allow children to self-direct their activities and to make their own choices also helps to build self-confidence, it also gives them room to breathe after a school day full of rules and restrictions, and furthermore, it gives them space to develop their creative thinking abilities. Of course, that means you need to make sure that they’re up and moving, and not sitting behind a screen (TV, laptop, tablet, etc). Get those children moving!

As an additional note, school districts nationwide are moving towards shortening physical education classes and in some cases, even considering eliminating them altogether. Many schools have already eliminated recess for younger children, opting to put more focus on required testing subjects like reading and math. This practice is shortsighted. If we want our young students to do well in reading, math, and school in general, we need to make sure they have physical activity built into their schedule. If your school is facing these changes due to budgetary or other reasons, let them know that you feel that physical education and recess are an important part of the school day. Your children and their teachers will thank you!  

Did You Know? All About the Month of May

Mother’s Day was first observed in 1908. It was designated by a presidential proclamation and was recognized officially by Congress and President Woodrow Wilson in 1914. It is celebrated in honor of Mothers on the second Sunday of May.

The Empire State Building opened on May 1, 1931.

Harry S Truman, the 33rd President of the United States, was born in Lamar, MO on May 8, 1884.

Sir James Barrie, the author and creator of Peter Pan, was born in Scotland on May 9, 1860.

Amelia Earhart began the first solo flight by a woman across the Atlantic Ocean on May 20, 1932.

Charles Lindbergh completed the first transatlantic solo flight on May 21, 1927.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the British author who created Sherlock Holmes, was born on May 22, 1859.

The first permanent English settlement in America was established in Jamestown, VA on May 24, 1607.

The Brooklyn Bridge opened to traffic on May 24, 1883.

The Golden Gate Bridge opened to traffic in San Francisco on May 27, 1937.

John F Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, born in Brookline, MA, on May 29, 1917. 

Fun stuff to do… 

Need a gift idea for Mom for Mother’s Day? Think hand-made! How about an iron-on bag with her child’s drawing?

You can decorate a canvas bag with hand-drawn masterpieces quickly and easily with iron-on transfer paper (readily available at craft stores).  Print a special drawing onto the transfer paper with any ink-jet printer, trim out the design, and then use a dry iron to transfer the image to clean canvas. She’ll love it!

Letter from Betty for April 2016

Hello,

The calendar has brought us once again to the spring season with its budding trees and early flowers. Beautiful weather is on the way! In fact in only a few short months the school year will end. Time flies when you're having fun!

Family time together with your children is so important for happy and healthy young lives. If you are wondering how to find exciting activities the whole family can enjoy, and at the same time keep your children's' minds expanding, check out our feature article for this month, "Boredom-busting Family Games That Sharpen Your Children's' Math Skills."

And have some fun with our "Did You Know?" bonus feature. This month is "All About Earth Day." April 22 is coming up and you'll want to be ready and well informed when the big green day arrives!

Finally, please remember that whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, SAT/ACT test prep, and educational evaluations. Please don't hesitate to give us a call at 973-425-1774 for a free consultation.


Best regards,

Betty

Betty Bodenweiser
Director
Foundation for Learning

April 2016 Dates Announced: Choose SAT or ACT with our Free Diagnostic

Currently many high school juniors take both the SAT and ACT to determine which test is better for them. We usually feel it is beneficial for the students to focus on only one test. In order to accomplish this, we administer a complimentary SAT/ACT diagnostic test to help students determine which test is better suited to their abilities.


Upcoming test dates:

April 16, 2016 and May 21, 2016

Our diagnostic test incorporates the new SAT which was introduced in March 2016.

Please call Donna at (973) 425-1774 for more details. You can also email Betty at Betty@foundationforlearning.com. SPACE IS LIMITED.

April 2016 Test Schedule

Mark your calendars! Here are the latest test dates.

NOTE about ISEE - Independent School Entrance Exam: For test locations and to learn more go to erblearn.org.

Boredom-busting Family Games That Sharpen Your Children's Math Skills

Summer break is quickly approaching and you’re probably looking for more ideas to keep your children occupied. How about some boredom-busting games? Here are some recommendations that will help to reinforce your child’s math skills and they’re super fun too!



Match‘Em
Match'Em is a fast and furious card game that has players testing their reflexes and mental calculators at lightning speed. Players each get five game cards and play them on the special mat that's included. Players must try to match the point value of the last player's card with one or more cards from their own hands. If a player can't match the last play, he or she draws two more cards from the deck, and play continues. The first player to get rid of all of his or her cards wins the hand; win three hands and you've won the match. The rules are simple; the cards and play mat are colorful and well designed; and the frenzy of flipping cards in this clever game is addictive. For 2-4 players, ages 7 and up.

Over and Out
Over and Out is an exciting numbers game. Roll the dice, and then take out the matching chip point total. But don't get stuck with too many points left over, because the player with the lowest point total wins! Keep track of the total in the discard pile, by adding or subtracting as the cards are played. Once the total is at the "Tip Top" number, watch out! The person whose card makes that discard pile go OVER is OUT. It’s fast and it’s fun! For 2-8 players, ages 7 and up.

The Game of Chips
A fun strategy game for the whole family and a great adding game for kids! Roll the dice and then take out any chip combination that matches the total roll of the dice. Chips left over at the end of your turn, count as points against you. The player with the lowest point total at the end of the game is the winner. For 2-8 players, ages 7 and up.

Polygon
This fun-to-play game is a great way for kids to practice addition and multiplication facts. It requires strategizing to decide how to play each turn. Polygon uses numbered tiles that are placed on the game board in ways that achieve a score for each turn. You can play tiles in several ways so you have to add (and sometimes multiply, too) on each turn, as well as at the end of the game. Polygon is a subtle way to painlessly practice math facts. For 4-6 players, ages 7 and up.

Sequence Numbers
Sequence + Numbers = FUN! The cards each have an addition or subtraction equation and the game board has the answer. Match a card to its correct answer on the board, then place your chip there. Groups of numbers are color-coded to help with number recognition. When you have 5 of your chips in a row, you've got a SEQUENCE! For 4-6 players, ages 7 and up.

Spending time with your child is important and something that all parents need to make a priority during their busy days. It gives parents the opportunity to have a conversation, and to really listen to what their children have on their minds, and it bolsters their self-esteem to know that they want to spend unhurried time together. Playing board games makes it easy and fun to do just that.

Board games also have additional benefits beyond the sheer fun. They satisfy your child’s competitive urges, allow them to master new skills and concepts, and teaches important social skills such as communicating verbally, sharing, taking turns, and enjoying the company of others. They help your child to focus, develop a longer attention span, work on organization skills, and to work within boundaries by following rules and taking turns. Games can also help a child to see the benefit of never giving up. Just when they think they’re going to lose the game, they just may hit the jack-pot!

Did You Know? --- All About Earth Day

• Every April 22nd we observe Earth Day.
• The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970 and was originated in the US.
• It was created to honor the planet's environment and to raise public awareness about pollution.
• Since then, other issues were included: the overuse of resources, oil spills, toxic dumping, chemical pesticide use, roadway creation, loss of wilderness and extinction of wildlife, among other concerns effecting the environment and the people and animals that live here on our planet.
• In 1990, Earth Day went global and 200 million people in 141 countries participated in the event.
• Every year on April 22, men, women, and children collect garbage, plant trees, clean up waterways, show movies, sign petitions, take hikes and participate in many other earth-friendly activities.
• On Earth Day 2012, more than 100,000 people rode bikes in China to reduce CO2 emissions and save fuel.
• In an Earth Day celebration in 2011, 28 million trees were planted in Afghanistan.
• One year in Panama, 100 endangered species of orchids were planted and maintained to prevent their extinction in honor of Earth Day.
• Food Recovery is the theme for Earth Day 2016, with a focus on reducing food loss and waste.

More facts:

• The average American produces more than four pounds of garbage per day. 
• Almost half of the food in the U.S. goes to waste. 
• It takes about 450 years for plastic beverage bottles to break down in a landfill. 
• The energy saved by recycling one plastic bottle can power a computer for 25 minutes. 
• It takes approximately 1 million years for a glass bottle to break down in a landfill. 
• The energy saved from recycling one glass bottle will operate a 100-watt light bulb for four hours. 
• Almost 97% of the world's water is salty or otherwise undrinkable. Another 2% is locked in ice caps and glaciers. Only 1% is usable for agriculture, manufacturing, and personal needs. 
• The average American uses about 100 gallons of water per day. 
• About 8 million metric tons of plastic goes into the ocean each year. 

Fun and helpful thing to do on Earth Day…

Make a peanut butter and seed bird feeder: Take a walk and gather up a couple of nice-sized pine cones. Back in the kitchen, mix peanut butter with a bit of oat bran in a bowl. (The oat bran helps to break up the sticky peanut butter and helps with digestion.) Spread birdseed on a tray or in a larger bowl. Wrap a piece of twine around and inside the pine cone. Using a blunt knife (butter or spreader), coat each pine cone with the PB mixture. Roll the sticky cone in the birdseed until it is evenly and complete covered. Repeat this process for each pine cone. Hang the completed cones in a tree outside your window.

Check out a regional bird identification book from the library (if you don’t already own one) and enjoy time watching, recognizing and learning about the birds in your own backyard.